Mattress or Mattress-Like Cushion for Persons Suffering from an Allergy, Which is Ventilated by a Device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions ( 1 ), with a ventilation apparatus that includes at least one air inlet, at least one ventilation means, which causes a directed flow of air, and at least one air outlet, wherein the air moisture can be adjusted to a certain air moisture, preferably a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture, by means of an air dehumidifier and/or an air humidifier, wherein the air can be introduced into the mattress ( 2 ) or the mattress-like bolster or cushion via the air outlet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This utility patent application filed under 35 USC 111 is a continuation of pending international application PCT/DE2011/000074 filed on Jan. 26, 2011 and claims priority to German patent application 102010006034.8 filed on Jan. 27, 2010, which are both incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a mattress or a mattress-like cushion which is suitable for allergic persons, and to an apparatus for removing the allergens.

BACKGROUND

About 15% of the German population suffers from allergic reactions caused by house-dust mites. House-dust and mite allergy is primarily caused by the mites living in the house dust and mattresses, wherein the actual allergen comes from mites' excrement. This is the so-called P1 antigen. This allergen causes type 1 allergic reactions of the immune system, the so-called “anaphylactic type”. This immune reaction shows diverse symptoms, such as a head cold, sneezing fits, cough, itching, and swelling of the mucous membranes in the throat-nose-ear region. In serious cases, it can even lead to asthmatic reactions.

Since a single mite produces about 200 times its weight in excrement during its 2-3 month lifespan, the habitat of a mite can be substantially contaminated with excrement balls. These excrement balls disintegrate into very small particles after drying, which then combine with house dust. The everyday movement occurring in households causes not only pure dust, but also allergen-containing dust to be swirled up, which is then contained in the air that is breathed in, and can lead to the above-mentioned reactions in the person inhaling it.

The mites producing the allergenic excrement are arachnids. At a size of 0.1-0.5 mm, they are hardly visible to the human eye. Mites love high levels of air moisture of above 60% and a temperature around 25° C. They feed off human and animal skin scales, hair and animal feathers. A person will lose about 1 g-2 g of skin scales a day and can thus feed about 1.5 million mites on a daily basis. Their preferred habitats are therefore mattresses, bed linen, cushions, blankets, carpets and curtains, but they are also extremely common in upholstered furniture, cuddly toys and dog baskets.

Clinical tests have shown that about 2,000,000 house-dust mites are present in our bed linen and the mattresses. They cannot be killed off on a permanent basis, since they are equipped with claws and barbs which allow them extremely efficient anchorage in their habitat. They thus survive thorough vacuum cleaning. Only after the air moisture falling below a certain critical value, do they become inactive. As the air moisture goes up, however, they are reanimated again.

The mites reproduce primarily in the months from May to October. At the beginning of the heating period, they die off, but the amount of mite excrement is now sufficient to cause health problems.

Since frequent washing of mattresses and cushions is not possible for practical reasons (household washing machines are not suitable therefor) other attempts have been made to combat mite infestation. Current attempts at tackling the problem of mite spreading in mattresses and textile upholstered furniture is by enclosing them in a protective cover. By these means it is attempted to rob the mites of their habitat and thus to prevent them from producing allergenic excrement. Unfortunately, these protective covers are not very effective, since they still have pores through which the mites can pass into the interior of the mattress or cushion. Damage and ageing as a result of wear and tear can also increase the permeability of the protective covers to mites.

SUMMARY

It is thus the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, a method, the mattress and the mattress-like bolster and cushion itself, and a system consisting of the same, which prevent mites from colonizing mattresses and mattress-like bolsters and cushions.

The object is achieved according to the present invention by an apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions, characterized in that the ventilation apparatus comprises at least one air inlet, at least one ventilation means, which causes a directed movement of the air, and at least one air outlet, wherein the air can be adjusted to a given air moisture, preferably a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture by means of an air dehumidifier or air humidifier, wherein the air can be introduced through the air outlet into the mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushions.

The present apparatus for ventilating mattresses and the like drastically reduces the chances of survival of the mites by lowering the air moisture in the mites' habitat, i.e. the above mentioned mattresses and mattress-like bolsters. At a relative air moisture of less than 50%, the mites die off and thus stop producing the allergenic excrement. Of course, the entire room can also be kept free of mites by reducing the air moisture.

However, this is too cumbersome due to the size of the room, or too costly. Moreover, if the air becomes too dry in human habitations, this can cause irritation of the mucous membrane. Using the present approach, i.e. by treating only the habitats in which the mites are primarily present, and which are rather impractical to clean, most of the mites are killed off, so that the allergic person wakes up without complaints in the morning, despite having spent several hours in a place, which used to be the potential habitat of the mites.

The apparatus according to the present invention comprises at least one air inlet, in which air is sucked in, which is for ventilating the relevant mattress. Within the apparatus for ventilating, at least one ventilating means is present, which sucks in air and directs it in the desired direction. The air is then normally passed through an air dehumidifier which adjusts the relative air moisture to the desired value. In most cases, the air moisture is too high, so that the air does not have to be treated with an air humidifier. However, should this become necessary, the apparatus can also comprise an air humidifier.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the apparatus comprises a means for adjusting the air temperature to predetermined values, preferably below 25° C., particularly preferably below 20° C., even more preferably below 15° C. The air moisture and air temperature depend on each other. Warmer air can take up more moisture than colder air.

Controlling the air temperature thus not only serves to provide comfort to the mattress occupant who may prefer a slightly cooled mattress in the summer, but also helps to regulate and maintain the desired air moisture within the mattress. Mites feel extremely comfortable at temperatures around 25° C., so that temperatures below 25° C., preferably below 20° C., particularly preferably below 15° C. prevent the mites from spreading.

In another embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions, the apparatus comprises a means, which introduces an insecticide or acaricide harmless for humans into the air to kill off mites. This helps to ensure even more thorough elimination of the mites in the mattresses.

A further preferred embodiment of the ventilation apparatus according to the present invention comprises a means for cleaning the air. This ensures that the air used for ventilating the mattresses or the mattress-like bolsters or cushions is as clean as possible and does not contain any more mite food which would otherwise attract mites and ensure their survival. Filters and inverter-type lamps can be used as cleaning means. The filters reduce the number of airborne particles in the air while the inverter-type lamp kills off bacteria and the like.

The mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion according to the present invention, in which the mites' habitat is to be destroyed, is characterized in that it comprises an inlet for receiving the ventilating air produced by the apparatus according to the present invention. The outlet of the apparatus according to the present invention and the inlet of the mattress according to the present invention can be connected by a valve closure or a tube system.

Herein, it is essential that the air can be pumped into the mattress without major losses, because it will leak from the mattress over time despite provision of a cover, which is not supposed to be airtight. It only has to be ensured that the habitat of the mite within the mattress is at least largely destroyed by the low air moisture and the other properties with which the air is provided by the apparatus. This is why the air, which is conducted into the mattress according to the present invention or into the mattress-like bolster or cushion according to the present invention, has a certain relative air moisture, preferably below 50%.

Furthermore, the air can have a certain temperature, preferably below 25° C., particularly preferably below 20° C., even more preferably below 15° C., and can also contain an insecticide or acaricide to kill off mites, which, of course, have to be harmless for humans. Thorough cleaning of the input air with the aid of filters and inverter-type lamps ensures that the input air is basically clean, with a reduced amount of crucial foodstuff for the mites.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, namely the mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion, the air from the apparatus according to the present invention for ventilating is introduced into means for air distribution, which distribute the air throughout the entire interior of the mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion. It is thus ensured that the entire mattress, or the entire interior of the mattress, comes into contact with the processed air. Implementation of the present embodiment ensures that all habitats for mites cease to exist within the mattresses according to the present invention.

The air distribution means can be a perforated tube, i.e. one provided with holes, into which the air is introduced and which meanders throughout the interior of the mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion. It ensures uniform distribution of the air in the interior of the mattress according to the present invention, or the interior of the mattress-like bolster or cushion according to the present invention.

Of course, the apparatus and the mattress according to the present invention or the mattress-like bolster can form a system, because they have been precisely adapted to one another exactly for this purpose. Their cooperation results in the method for combatting the habitats of the mites.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following is a discussion of non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a system according to the present invention for destroying the habitat of mites in mattresses;

FIGS. 2 to 5 show test results of the use of the apparatus according to the present invention with different starting conditions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 schematically shows a system according to the present invention for destroying the habitat of mites in mattresses, comprising the apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions 1 and the mattress 2 according to the present invention. The apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions 1 comprises an inlet, a ventilation means for causing a directed flow of air, and an air outlet, wherein the air moisture can be precisely adjusted to a given air moisture value, preferably a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture, by means of an air dehumidifier and/or an air humidifier, wherein the air can be introduced into the mattress 2 or the mattress-like bolster 2 or cushion 2 through the air outlet. The arrows indicate the direction of the airflow.

The apparatus and the mattress 2 according to the present invention, in the present case, are connected by means of a tube. The mattress 2 comprises the air distribution means consisting of a perforated tube 3, which meanders throughout the entire interior of the mattress 2 or the mattress-like bolster or cushion. This is where the tempered air is introduced and can be distributed throughout the entire interior of the mattress 2. Ventilation of the mattress need only be carried out at certain time intervals.

Constant ventilation is not necessary. Just prior to bedtime, the ventilation can be carried out for a short period of time, wherein, first, well-tempered air is used, which is then slowly cooled down. By these means, sleeping comfort can be greatly enhanced, since the mattress feels nice and pre-warmed.

For determining the effectiveness of the apparatus according to the present invention, a series of tests have been carried out on the mattress. In most of the tests, the series of tests have been carried out over a period of time from 07:00 am to 09:20 am of the following day, i.e. for 26 hours and 20 minutes. If this is not the case, there is an indication to this effect in the description of the relevant figure. The dehumidification of the mattress with the aid of the apparatus according to the present invention was carried out over a period of 10 hours. Every 20 minutes, a reading was recorded. There are, therefore, 80 readings in total. Herein, 2 moisture sensors were used to measure the moisture in the interior of the mattress and evaluate it, wherein one moisture sensor was freely suspended above the mattress (see reading relF 01 in the figures, indicated as a solid line (______) the other moisture sensor was held freely suspended within the mattress (see reading relF0 02, indicated in the figures as a dashed line (------).

At the same time, the temperatures were measured in the vicinity of the two air moisture sensors. The measurements were also carried out at different ambient air moistures. In some cases, the mattresses were wetted (moistened), i.e. with 500 ml of water. The following indications are used throughout:

The y-axis indicates the relative air moisture in % with LF [%] and the temperature in Celsius with T[C°].

The x-axis indicates the time, mostly subdivided into 80 units of 20 minutes.

The solid line (______) in the diagrams indicates the value of the first measuring sensor for the relative air moisture (rel F01).

The dashed line (------) in the diagrams indicates the values of the second measuring sensor for the relative air moisture (rel F02).

The values indicated with x (x x x) are the temperature readings of the first temperature sensor.

The values indicated with (- - -) are the temperature readings of the second temperature sensor.

In FIG. 2, with the title 1H, a mattress was tested without blanket, without additional wetting. The air moisture was high in the room to be measured. As can be clearly seen from the curve, the relative air moisture starts to increase again after 10 hours, i.e. at time unit 30.

In FIG. 3, with the title 1N, a mattress was tested without blanket, without additional wetting. The air moisture was low in the room to be measured. As can be clearly seen from the curve, the relative air moisture starts to increase again after 10 hours, i.e. at time unit 30. However, the same high starting values of the air moisture as in FIG. 2, were not achieved. As can be clearly seen, the moisture of the ambient air greatly influences the period of time needed for drying out the mattress. An analogous test, in which the measuring room itself was dehumidified, shows that drying of the mattress is substantially quicker. However, this cannot be implemented in practice, since careful dehumidification of the entire room, in particular, a bedroom, would lead to the mucous membranes drying out. This, in turn, has negative effects on people's health.

In FIG. 4, with the title 5N, a mattress was tested without blanket, but with additional wetting. The air moisture was low in the room to be measured. As can be clearly seen from the curve, the air moisture on the mattress was detected by the sensor positioned there. This test was started at 07:20 am and only ended after 2 days at 0:02 am. The reason for this long test duration lies in the fact that, after wetting of the mattress with 500 ml of water, it was dehumidified with the apparatus according to the present invention, this was followed by a period without dehumidification from about 6:00 pm to about 6:40 am the following day, which was then followed by a further dehumidifying phase.

This test was carried out to clarify the question of whether dehumidifying once had a lasting effect on subsequent processes. As can be clearly seen, previous wetting with water only has a one-off effect on the subsequent dehumidifying phase. The increase in the air moisture readings thereafter show no difference to the air moisture readings from a mattress which was not previously wetted.

In FIG. 5, with the title 12N, a mattress was tested with a blanket, and with additional wetting. The air moisture in the room measured was low. This test shows that placing a blanket on top helps the mites to multiply, since the blanket acts as an insulation means for any residual heat and air moisture present in the mattress.

In summary, it can be seen quite clearly that in all tests the air moisture is below the air moisture values still tolerable for the mites over an extended period of time. In the test shown in FIG. 3, with the title N1, it can even be seen that the critical value at which mites can reemerge, was not reached again up to the end of the measuring series after dehumidification. This leads to complete elimination of the mite population. 

1. An apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (1), wherein the ventilation apparatus comprises: at least one air inlet, at least one ventilation means, which causes a directed flow of air, and at least one air outlet, wherein the air moisture can be adjusted to a certain air moisture, namely a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture, by means of an air dehumidifier and/or an air humidifier, wherein the air can be introduced into the mattress (2) or the mattress-like bolster or cushion via the air outlet.
 2. The apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a means for adjusting the air temperature to given values, preferably below 25° C., particularly preferably below 20° C., even more preferably below 15° C.
 3. The apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a means for introducing an insecticide or acaricide harmless for humans into the air to destroy mites.
 4. The apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a means which cleans the air.
 5. The apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (1) according to claim 4, wherein the air cleaning means is a filter.
 6. The apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (1) according to claim 4, wherein the air cleaning means is an inverter-type lamp.
 7. A mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) comprising: a cover, and an inner portion, wherein the mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion comprises an inlet, which can receive the air output from the apparatus for ventilating mattresses or mattress-like bolsters comprising at least one air inlet, at least one ventilation means, which causes a directed flow of air, and at least one air outlet, wherein the air moisture can be adjusted to a certain air moisture, namely a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture, by means of an air dehumidifier and/or an air humidifier, and wherein the air can be introduced into the mattress (2) or the mattress-like bolster or cushion via the air outlet.
 8. The mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) according to claim 7, wherein the air which is introduced into the cover has a certain relative air moisture, namely below 50%.
 9. The mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) according to claim 7, wherein the air which is introduced into the cover has a certain temperature, preferably below 25° C., particularly preferably below 20° C., even more preferably below 15° C.
 10. The mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) according to claim 7, wherein the air which is introduced into the cover includes an insecticide or acaricide harmless for humans to kill off mites.
 11. The mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) according to claim 7, wherein the air which is introduced into the cover has previously been cleaned again.
 12. The mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) according to claim 7, wherein the air from the apparatus for ventilating according to claim 1 is introduced into means for air distribution, which distributes the air throughout the entire interior of the mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion.
 13. The mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion (2) according to claim 12, wherein the air distribution means includes a perforated tube (3) into which the air is introduced, and which meanders throughout the entire interior of the mattress or mattress-like bolster or cushion.
 14. A system for destroying the habitat of mites in mattresses or mattress-like bolsters or cushions (2), comprising: a mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion, comprising a cover and an inner portion, wherein an inlet, which can receive air output and at least one air outlet, and at least one apparatus for ventilating mattresses ventilation apparatus comprising at least one air inlet, at least one ventilation means, which causes a directed flow of air, and at least one air outlet, wherein the air moisture can be adjusted to a certain air moisture, namely a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture, by means of an air dehumidifier and/or an air humidifier, wherein the air can be introduced into the mattress (2) or the mattress-like bolster or cushion via the air outlet.
 15. A method for destroying the habitat of mites in mattresses, mattress-like bolsters or cushions according to claim 7, the method comprising: introducing air with a relative moisture content below 50% into the mattress or the mattress-like bolster or cushion with the aid of a ventilation apparatus comprising at least one air inlet, at least one ventilation means, which causes a directed flow of air, and at least one air outlet, wherein the air moisture can be adjusted to a certain air moisture, namely a relative air moisture below 50% relative air moisture, by means of an air dehumidifier and/or an air humidifier, wherein the air can be introduced into the mattress (2) or the mattress-like bolster or cushion via the air outlet. 